Tool for applying electrical connectors



Oct. 22, 1963 K. M. HAMMELL ETAL TOOL FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Sept. 27. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. KEMPER M. HAMMELL AND BY HOWARD E. STINE, OR.

Oct. 22, 1963 K. M. HAMMELL ETAL 3,107,560

TOOL FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS 7 Filed Sept. 27. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "'7 ,1 78 v j r 70 INVEN TOR. KEMPEK M. HAMMELL .Auv

y HOWARD E. S'nNg'JR.

Oct. 22, 1963 K. M. HAMMELL ETAL 3,107,560

TOOL FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Sept. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y'Ilml i xiii IR United States Patent Filed Sept. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 58,815 3 Claims. (Cl. 81--15) In the art of securing electrical conductors together, it is desirable to crimp a ferrule-forming portion of a connector around a condutor and pressure-forge the connector and conductor into intimate engagement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool for applying such a ferrule-forming member to a conductor in areas where there is very little room available for operating crimping dies.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a tool of the type described, wherein the crimping pressure is closely controlled by driving the crimping die toward a cooperating die by moving it along an inclined plane. The tool includes a means for operating the die to trans m-it crimping pressure to the longitudinally actuated die.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a device embodying the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the spring mechanism taken along plane 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3-5 are sectional views illustrating the crimping mechanism in various stages of the crimping operation;

FIGURE 6 is a front view of the crimping mechanism;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the tool in crimping position with a connector in the dies;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the crimping mechanism partially broken away; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the assembled device.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the unit comprises a body member B, a crimping unit C," and a trigger mechanism T. The body member includes a pair of cover plates 1%} and 12 (FIGURE 9) which are bolted together to house a linkage, etc., within. A slotted opening 14 in the joined sections accommodates a trigger member 16 which is pivoted at 18 to rock back and forth within the housing.

The linkage operated by the trigger (FIGURE 1) ineludes a yoke member 20 Which is pivotally secured at one end to the trigger 16 by means of a pivot pin 22, and at the other end to a springrnember 24. The yoke 20 is secured to the conical spring 24 by means of a collar 26 which is threadedly attached to a concentric link 28. The link 28 extends through the spring 24 and attaches to a pivot pin 30 at its opposite end.

The pivot pin 30 is also secured to link 32, 34 disposed at right angles to the link 28. The thumb screw 36 may be used to adjust the length of the link. A pivot pin 38 pivotally secures the link 34 to a die holding means 40 A connecting rod 42 is secured to the member 40 by means of a yoke 44 and collar 46. The opposite end of the rod 52 is pivoted at 48 and thus attached to a die driving means 50. A spring mechanism 52 extends between the inner side of the body member and the threaded adjustable link 34 to retain the linkage in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The entire linkage mechanism is pivoted about a pivot pin 53 (FIGURES 1 and 7) which is rotatably secured to the inside of the body member B in any suitable means. The spring 52 is secured to the pivot pin 53 so that the spring is placed in tension when trigger 16 is compressed (FIGURE 7). Thus, the spring serves to return the device -to its original position (FIGURE 1) when the trigger member 16 is released.

As shown in FIGURES 3-5 and 8, the crimping mechanism comprises a barrel 54 which is secured to the cover plates 10 and 12. The barrel 54 surrounds the die driving means 50, and an inclined plate 56 is secured in the end of the barrel 54. An upper die 58 is secured in the front end of the barrel with its die surface 60 extending in wardly. A lower die 62 is integral with a plate 64 opposite the upper die. This plate 64 has a pivot pin 66 passing through it and also through the sides of the barrel. A slot 68 in the barrel comprises a lost-motion mechanism which permits the die driving plate to move up and down in the barrel. Spring-loaded means 70 biases the die driving plate 64 in a normally downward position. Thumb screws 72 and 74 (FIGURES l and 7) are employed to adjust the travel of the linkage. As shown in FIGURE 7, threading the thumb screw 74 outwardly permits the handle 16 and attendant linkage to be moved further toward the thumb screw. Also, threading the thumb screw 72 outwardly permits the linkage to move further in a forwerd direction as shown in FIGURE 1.

A ferrule-forming connector 76 is insertable into the barrel in crimping relationship. A conductor 78 is disposed in the ferrule-forming portion of the connector and a recess 80 in the front of the barrel permits the conductor 78 to pass therein.

When it is desired to crimp a terminal onto a conductor, the terminal is inserted into the barrel, as shown in FIG- URE 3, and the conductor disposed within the ferruleforming portion of the terminal. The operator grasps the body B and exerts manual pressure on trigger member 16. Spring 24 is of the type known as a Belleville spring, which resists any collapse until a certain pressure has been reached. In the assembly, the spring is designed to collapse only when crimping pressure has been reached.

Exercising pressure on the trigger 16 so that the trigger moves clockwise causes the spring to collapse after the link 28 has moved to the left (see FIGURE 7 Motion of the link to the left causes a rotation of the link 32, 34- to transmit a force to the link 42. This causes the link 40, 42 to move to the night, driving the die plate actuating mechanism up the inclined plane 56. Movement of the die plate actuating mechanism up the inclined plane urges the die driving plate 64 upwardly toward the top of the barrel 54. This drives the die 62 toward the die 58 to crimp the terminal 76 between the die 62 and the inner-surface of the upper die- 58. Compression of this terminal around the conductor 78 effects a secured crimped connection. When the trigger is released, the spring means 24 causes the linkage to return to its original position, thus releasing the terminal.

It is noted that the entire linkage moves clockwise when the trigger 16 is compressed. This causes the diedriving plate 64 to be urged against the connector as described above. The Belleville spring 24 will not collapse until crimping pressure has been reached. At this point, the spring collapses so that further compression of the trigger merely serves to cause further collapse of the spring. The point of collapsing may be felt by the operator so that he is aware when crimping pressure has been reached. Thus, the mechanism permits the operator to sense the proper crimping pressure and prohibits overcrimping.

Changes in construction Will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

We claim:

1. A device for crimping ferrule-forming members on-to conductors including a body means, a barrel member secured to said body means and extending outwardly therefrom, crimping means :in said barrel member, said crimping means comprising a first crimping die located on the inside surface of said barrel member, said member having an inclined planar surface located in said barrel member opposite to said first die, a driven member longitudinally slidable in said barrel member along the inclined planar surface, means for actuating said driven member, a second crimping die opposed to said first crimping die and adjacent to said driven member, and means for guiding said second die, whereby actuation of the driven member causes it to drive the second die toward the first die to crimp a ferrule-forming member therebetween.

2. A device for crimping connectors onto conductors including a body member, trigger means attached to said body member, linkage means secured to said trigger, a barrel member extending from said body member, a dieactuating means in said barrel member and secured to said linkage means so that actuation of the trigger and linkage means causes the die-actuating means to move longitudinally, an inclined block member in said barrel memher on one surface thereof in the path of the die actuating means, a die supported by said die-actuating means, means securing said die tothe barrel by a lost-motion connection for permitting lateral motion of the die, and a second die in said barrel member on the inner surface of the barrel member opposite the inclined block member, whereby longitudinal motion of the die-actuating means causes it to ride up the inclined block and actuate one die toward the other die.

3. In a device for crimping electrical connectors onto wires, said combination comprising a barrel member, a first stationary die secured in said barrel member on one surface thereof, a second die relatively movable toward and away from said first die, an inclined plane member in said barrel member on the surface opposed to the first stationary die, said inclined plane member disposed adjacent the second die with its inclined surface intersecting the path of the second die, and a movable driving member slidable on said inclined surface and bearing against the movable die, whereby movement of the driving member on the inclined surface urges the first die to- Ward the second die.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,729,556 Spear Sept. 24, 1929 2,369,180 Rosenthal Feb. 3, 1945 2,693,218 Freedom Nov. 2, 1954 2,981,130 Broske et al Apr. 25, 1961 2,985,047 Van Oort May 23, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 745,945 Great Britain Mar. 7, 1956 718,809 Germany Mar. 21, 1942 

3. IN A DEVICE FOR CRIMPING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ONTO WIRES, SAID COMBINATION COMPRISING A BARREL MEMBER, A FIRST STATIONARY DIE SECURED IN SAID BARREL MEMBER ON ONE SURFACE THEREOF, A SECOND DIE RELATIVELY MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST DIE, AN INCLINED PLANE MEMBER IN SAID BARREL MEMBER ON THE SURFACE OPPOSED TO THE FIRST STATIONARY DIE, SAID INCLINED PLANE MEMBER DISPOSED ADJACENT THE SECOND DIE WITH ITS INCLINED SURFACE INTERSECTING THE PATH OF THE SECOND DIE, AND A MOVABLE DRIVING MEMBER SLIDABLE ON SAID INCLINED SURFACE AND BEARING AGAINST THE MOVABLE DIE, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVING MEMBER ON THE INCLINED SURFACE URGES THE FIRST DIE TOWARD THE SECOND DIE. 